SCOTLAND has “left the launchpad” and is “heading to the stars and a new frontier”, a minister has said as he hailed progress in the space sector.
Trade Minister Richard Lochhead said Scotland is now the leading European country for the sector.
During a Holyrood debate, he said the first launches from Scottish spaceports would take place “shortly”.
Two sites in Scotland hope to host orbital satellite launches – SaxaVord in Unst and the Sutherland space hub.
He highlighted recent investment by Mangata Networks to build a satellite manufacturing base in Ayrshire, which is expected to support 575 jobs.
Lochhead said the Scottish space sector would be in a “genuinely world-leading position”, with satellites being manufactured and launched in the country.
He told MSPs: “Scotland was famously at the heart of the first industrial revolution. And now, in this pivotal decade, we are again shaping the future.
“The future for space, as one of Scotland’s cutting-edge sectors, is really, really exciting.
“We’ve left the launchpad, we’re heading for the stars and new frontiers, and I commend the sector for all it’s achieving.”
Tory Jamie Halcro Johnston said the SNP was going through its own “rapid unscheduled disassembly” – a reference to a euphemism used by SpaceX – Elon Musk’s rocket company – to describe a rocket exploding last week.
He said: “It’s not rocket science to see this is an increasingly important sector.”
Lib Dem Beatrice Wishart said she had recently visited SaxaVord Spaceport on the island of Unst, which is in her constituency.
She said: “Unst, with a population of around 650, is the most northerly inhabited community in Scotland, indeed the UK.
“The final frontier if you will.”
MSPs unanimously backed a government motion which said there are “significant opportunities for Scotland in becoming the home of space launches in Europe”.
A Tory amendment welcomed the UK Government’s financial support of the sector. This was also passed unanimously.
A Labour amendment noted “the importance of a supportive regulatory regime and of the Scottish Government engaging collaboratively to ensure that this is delivered”. This too was passed unanimously.
